Electronic and mechanical apparatuses, which we use daily, require energy to operate. This required energy is presently acquired by using facilities such as nuclear energy plants, thermal energy plants, hydroelectric plants, natural gas cycle plants, wind turbines and solar fields. Even though some of these facilities are sources for renewable energy, majority of our daily energy need is met by using fossil fuels. As fossil fuels are not renewable resources, they will be exhausted in the near future. For this reason, there is a need for developing new, sustainable energy production methods.
Sedimentary rocks, which are one of the three main types of rocks, are the most abundant type of rock on the face of the earth. They cover approximately 75% of the face of the earth, and they cover approximately 8% of the crust of the earth. Igneous rocks (or metamorphic rocks) which are present on the face of the earth are fragmentized and disintegrated over time as they come across with climate events, and various external factors (such as river and flood waters, winds). The small pieces that are scattered this way are carried away, also by external factors, they build up on lake and sea areas which have a pit shape, and they are compressed there. The small parts which are deposited and compressed this way, form sedimentary rocks. Main sedimentary rocks are sand stones, clay stones, lime stones (and other carbonated rocks), evaporites (rock salts, halides, borates etc.), and coal, shale and chert from sedimentary rocks.
Getting renewable energy from waste materials due to ever-increasing energy needs and the danger of depletion of fossil fuels is an ongoing activity all over the world.
However, all the research is based on producing methane gas by bacteria in an anaerobic environment.
On the other hand, shale rocks might contain natural gas that is trapped inside. This gas is called shale gas. This shale gas that is trapped inside the shale rocks are different from the combustible gases obtained by the present invention in the sense of both their formations and their compositions. Additionally, drilling is required in order to extract the shale gases that are trapped inside the shale rocks. In the inventive application, though, the combustible gases can be obtained at any preferred location.
It is already known that methane and other hydrocarbons can be produced by bacteria. However, the bacteria need to ferment their food sources in an anaerobic environment in order to produce hydrocarbons. This fermentation process takes too long, and no oxygen should be present in the environment during the fermentation process. For this reason, flammable gases created by bacteria can not respond to intensive needs. For this reason, there is a need for a method which allows the rapid production of flammable gases in an oxygenated environment.
The United States patent document numbered U.S. Pat. No. 7,198,107 in the background of the invention relates to obtaining shale gases. In the said document, water is injected inside the shale rocks, and in this way, the gases that have been trapped inside the gas can be gathered.
The United States patent document numbered U.S. Pat. No. 9,057,082 in the background of the invention relates to obtaining hydrogen from materials that are carrying hydrocarbons. In the said document, it is aimed to increase the speed of the microbiologic activity by adding ammonium phosphate and yeast extract to the rocks which are rich in hydrocarbons. In the said document, the obtaining of hydrogen is realized in an anaerobic environment.
None of the documents in the state of the art disclose a method for obtaining combustible gases and producing energy as in the present application.